Suction cleaner



-May 3, 1932. 5, MQCLATCHIE 1,856,133

SUCTION CLEANER Filed larch 24, 1927 (Sheets-Sheet 1 7J2 z/enz'ai:

S fanleg M Clazchie ATTORNEY;

,1 s. MCCL-ATCHIE 1,856,133

ISUCTIONCLEANER Filed larch 24, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jar/$250.2.-

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Patented May 3, 19,32

umreo snares PATENT OFFICE IEWWLEY MCULATCHIE, F CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, 0HIO,- ASSIGNOR T0 ELEG- IBIUAL FACI'URING COMPANY, BF CLEVELAND, OHIU, A CORPORATION OF S'U'CIKON CLEANER Application filed March M, 1927, Serial No. 178,074, and in Germany May 7, 1825.

it part of the subject matter hereof is set torth in my German Patent Number 429,778 filed May 7, 1925.

This invention relates to cleaners and has for its object the provision of a new and improved type. of casing, supported in a new and improved manner so as to be transported from place to place and manipulated. for cleaning purposes more easily and conveniently than other devices; the provision of a cleaner which shall be less noisy than other devices; the provision of a cleaner casing of the portable type having a new and improved construction ct dust separator; the provision of an encased dust separator for portable type cleaners which can be emptied and shaken without being removed from the casing; the provision of a cleaner having both rigid and extension nozzles, and operating with both after a new and improved plan; while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

ln the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application I have shown one physical construction in which my inventive ideas are embodied althou h it will he understood that a great many c anges in matters of detail can be made and that these drawings are intended merely to illustrate one term of my invention and not to limit me to the features therein delineated. Fig. 1 a side elevation and Fig. 2 a tront elevation of a complete cleaner embodying my improvements, the same being shown in working position; 3 is a side elevation of the same cleaner with a casing moved to transporting position; Figs. st and illustrate the same cleaner as employed with an ex tension hose; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the cleaner showing the bag arrangement and other internal parts; Fig. 7 is a partial View similar to Fig. 6 showing the operation of shaking the bagyhig. 8 is a transverse sectional view corresponding to the line 8-8 of 6; Fig. 8 is a detail of the bag shakin cam; and l igs. 9 and 10, are detailed figures o the closure securing means, the former showing the parts in loolred condition and the latter in unlocked condition.

An important featureof my invention is the presence of two comparatively large wheels l-l mounted coaxially at opposite ends of the casing 2, the latter being preferably cylindrical in shape, and confined within the cylindrical geometrical surface defined by these wheels, so that the device may at all times swin freely from the wheel axis and be moved hout with a minimum of exertion or'collision. Inside this casing are located the dust-separating and suction producing apparatus, while the side of the casing is formed with an inlet opening adapted to receive either a rigid nozzle to act directly upon the floor as the cleaner is moved about, or a hose connected to which an extension nozzle is applied, in which event the casing is drawn freely about following the movements of the hose, and in addition swings freely up on its axis in accordance with the operators movements. One form of such rigid nozzle is illustrated at 3, being "formed at one end with suitable provisions, such as the ears 4:, whereby it is detachably connected to a suitable seat member 5 carried by the casing and having at its opposite end a lot era-lly elongated mouthpiece 6 adapted to can gage the floor. In order to hold this nozzle in place 1 have here shown some simple cambuttons 7 and during the time that the cleaner is used with this rigid nozzle a suitable operating handle 8 is attached thereto in any desired manner, such for example as by means of the resilient yoke 9 whose arms are apertured for rotatable engagement of the trunnions 10 carried by the wheels. This handle may obviously be of any desired length but is preferably so designed that the operator can grasp the grip 11 without stoo ing, while electric current is conveyed to t e driving motor located inside the casing by means of a flexible cord 12 which is refer- Elli ably attached to the casing so as to e subpreferably rovided with hooks 14: for the reception the cord and when the cord is wound on these hooks in a tight manner as shown in Fig. 3 the nozzle is retained in this elevated position so that the cleaner can be drawn about with maximum ease.

Fitted to the seat member 5 interchangeable with the nozzle member 3 is a hose connection adapted to be secured by the same securing elements and having attached a short section 16 of flexible hose to which can be attached any kind of extension tool desired. When this is employed the handle 8 is preferably removed, leaving the casing free to follow the movements of the hose as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The wheels are preferably provided with large rubber tires to constitute buffers as well as to provide a noiseless device.

In its preferred embodiment the casing 2 is made of cylindrical shape with a diameter slightly less than that of the wheels and is preferably made of some material which shall absorb and not transmit the noise of the mo tor and fan. A. preferred material for this purpose is cork, although any kind of wood,

f Traversmg thecasing adjacent the end of a spi shaft 31 and leakage at this 65 ventedflby a suitable tie 36.

wood-pulp, -pa ier-mach, etc, is advantageous. Prefers ly the inletiopening 18 from the nozzle or hose is formed midway of the lan h of this casing and in the is attac ed the flexible neck rt'ion 19 of the dust ba 20; This dust iig is preferabiy made 0 porouscloth having deeply folded side-walls leading from a point slightly at one side of the oplening 18 to the opposite end of the casing w ere they are attached to a supporting member 21 which may have serrations corresponding to the folds and a 1 flange portion 22 fastened to the casing walls.

w consists of a re-entrant conical portion 25,

In itspreferred form the bottom of the bag also preferably deeply folded as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. While I do not limit myself to this specific arrangement a ver satisfac- .to mode of y mounting this bag will now of the bag is a transverse partition 26 havingat its center an opening 27 leadin .to the fan. Secured to this partition wit in the bag compartment thus defined is the ring 28 l er whose arms 29 carry a hub- 30 to whichis screwed the shaft 31-; "Thebottom' of the bag is an ported and distended by means of a suitab e hoop -32 of wire provided with plural radial arms 33 connected to a sheave'34 which is slidably mounted on the portion of the shaft 31 adjacent the spider, a suitable spring 35 being coiled around the shaft -and pressing against this sleeve to hold the bag normally stretched lengthwise as shown in Fig. 6. The center-of the bag. bottom 25 is apertured for the passage of the point is pre to. be forced between t ese arms b -tudinal pressure. The shank of this mem- As heretofore stated it is desirable to empty the cleaner without removing the bag and for this purpose I provide an agitating device extending outside the cleaner casing whereby the same can be shaken. Such device in the present embodiment includes a cam 38 carried by a transverse shaft 39 suitably journaled in the spider herefor the reception of a cross pin bymeans of which the plunger and sleeve are connected. The end of the shaft 39 projects outside of the casing where it is provided with a crank 4:2.

During use the open ends of the ba and easing are closed by a suitable cover s own in Fig. 6, the same having at its rim 2. laterally turned portion '46 embracing the casing 2, leakage'being prevented by asuitable gasket 47. The center of this cover is provided with a hub 48 on which the wheel 1 1S mounted as illustrated in Fig. 6. It is clearly necessary that this cover fit tightly during operation and alsdbe readily removable for emptying the contents of the bag, and one construction for permitti this is illustrated inFi 6, this construction emplo 'ng the end of e shaft 31 which is forme for the urpose with a-head havin a tapered sur-v ace 50 on the outer side an a square shoul- -der 51 units rearward side. Secured to the hub 48 is a supporting member 52, here also serving the function of a flan wheel m place, and having pivoted thereto a plurality oflocking'arms- 53 having hook portions 54 adjacent their ends adapted to ride over the inclined face of the head 50 and .to be snapped behind the shoulder 51 by means of the garter spring 55. In orderto release these arms from the head a wedging member 56 is slidably mounted in the. member 52 having a slantm faced head adlaptgid on ber'is here shown as constituting the-tronnion 10 on which thearm 9 is jonrnaled, -so that pressing this trunnion both facilitates the releasing of the handle yoke even if the same have littleorno resiliency, and also disconnects the wheeland cover after which the casing-can be ended and the litter shaken out without obstruction.

The suction producing appliances are mounted inside the casing upon the-opposite side of the partition 26 from the dust bag and comprise a motor. 60 mounted preferably with its shaft coaxial withthe casin hereshown as having a centrifugal an 61 to hold the and close to the partition 26. The air is drawn through the opening 27 to the center of the fan and escapes around the edge thereof being ultimately discharged through apertures, 62, formed in the end of the casing inside the plane of the adjacent wheel. This escaping air serves to cool the motor, and the chamber in which it is discharged being of considerable size, and the outlets therefrom bein located behind the wheel, the amount o noise produced b the fan is a minimum.

It will be un erstood that a great many changes in detail can be made within the scope of m inventive idea and I do not limit myself tot e materials of construction herein suggested or to the particular shapes, and arrangements of nozzle or to the illustrated manner of attaching the handle or wheels to the casing, nor to the details of bag construction and support, nor in any other wise except as specifically recited in my claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a cleaner, a casing, carrying wheels for said casing, handle means operativel connected to said casing, a collectin nozz e carried by and projecting from sai casing and having an inlet mouth operatively presented to the surface on which said wheels rest, suction producing and dust separating apparatus'inside said casing and operatively associated with said collecting nozzle, said dust separating apparatus comprising a strainer of porous material, and means carried by said casing for removing the dust and litter from said strainer without removing said strainer from said casing, said casin having a removable closure to permit the d ischarge of such dust and litter.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 16th day of March, 1927.

' STANLEY MCCLATCHIE. 

